Kitty BITE Back Episode 30: I have never been so angry in my whole goddamn life, liMes/Y WOULD U????

Heyooooooooooo!!! I hope that you have had time to read the second episode of Information Control. Last week was pretty light compared to some of the things that we have already talked about and some of the things we will end up talking about. I think that's okay though. It breaks up that really traumatic parts of my experiences so it's easier to write ( for me) and easier to digest (for you). But hey, let's get right on into it this week!!

I am obsessed with Hello Kitty! The kitty biting back in this series is a mixture between the demon kitty you all know and love from my series that my good friend Sequoia designed and a grumpy Hello Kitty, She is a demon. She is a cute little angel. Anywhoooo!!!

For reference, HERE is the BITE Model as described by SAH: https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model/ Please feel free to take a look at the model and familiarize yourself with the categories, components, and sub-components; kisses**

The second component of Information Control, as described by SAH, is:

"Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including:

a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, media

b. Critical information

c. Former members

d. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate

e. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking"

This one is honestly going to take a while to write and to get through. I feel like I have touched on some of these issues in previous episodes but haven't really gone into full detail with each of them. I hope that you take the time to read through this episode carefully and really digest just how controlling this cult was and how these cults are in your literal backyards.

STORY TIME!

I think the easiest way to get through each of these 5 subcomponents is to list each of them individually and talk about what they mean and then give examples from my experiences that relate. HERE WE GOOOOO!!

A. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including: Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, media. What does this mean exactly? And how can someone use these means to control you? When someone is controlling all of the sources of information you're allowed to consume, it can really shape who you are as a person. When you are only allowed to consume cult-sources of information you are only seeing the world through the cult leader's eyes. You loose your scope of reality. It's scary, honestly. I want to walk you through each of these (internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, media) and show you how each of these were controlled and how it affected me as an adult.

1. Internet- The internet was seen as an evil place where there are people who will make you backslide. The cult leader even would go as far as to say that you could "catch spirits" through the internet. For example, if you looked up porn, you could catch a lustful and perverted spirit. Even worse depending on if you watched porn that was deemed "worldly sex" by the cult. I talked about "worldly sex" in a previous episode (DR: any sexual act/position other than vaginal missionary). The cult leader also talked about how music, movies, and videos could be streamed online and that those could put "worldly ideas" in your head and cause you to backslide. When I was in the cult we weren't even allowed to have modern cell phones that connect to the internet. We also weren't allowed to have computers in our home. If your job requires you to use a computer, you shouldn't be using the internet. When I was in high school, the juniors and seniors were supposed to have MacBook laptops. I had to hide the fact that I was using a laptop with internet for some of my things for school. As an adult, I honestly would forget that the internet exists, and still do sometimes. There have been times in my adult life since left the cult that I would be wondering about something, a question I would have, and I would go crazy thinking, "How do I figure out the answer to this question?!?!" My wife is constantly reminding me that Google exists and that I'm allowed to use it. So much so that I have a written affirmation hanging on my wall that says, "I'M ALLOWED TO USE GOOGLE".

2. TV- The TV was seen as "the devil's box"; and yes, imagine someone screaming that at a decibel so high you can't hear for a minute. TV was seen as a sin because of the scripture in Psalms (Psalms 101:3 KJV- I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me). This scripture was taken very literally when I was in the cult. The cult leader equated the "wicked thing(s)" as anything that wasn't deemed godly by him. This included all things (books, music, tv, pictures, anything you could consume). The cult leader would preach for hours a week about this, how evil spirits will cling to you from just looking at the what he has deemed to be wicked. He preached a lot about how celebrities are possessed by demons. He would name a few older celebrities that were famous when he was younger (not a cult leader) and would maybe mention a few newer celebrities that he had been told about or heard about randomly (but you cold tell that he never knew what he was talking about). As an adult I totally forget that I am allowed to watch TV on my own. I ask permission randomly to watch TV series and movies that I want. It's a constant daily reminder of how when this is controlled, it has a lasting affect on us as adults.

3. Radio- The radio was seen as worldly and the cult leader even had his removed at one point from his vehicle. When he got a new (really nice) SUV, he had SiriusXM radio and learned that other cults similar to him that he could connect with had stations on there (all in the name of religious freedom *puke*). He didn't want anyone listening to the radio, there are news stories on there, things about the outside world, things a cult member could learn outside information and really start to think critically. This was hard growing up, all my friends at school listened to the radio, and new all of the songs. I was too afraid to use the radio in my car. I was too afraid to listen to the radio at home. So I lost out on so much music. I wasn't allowed to listen to anything that wasn't a direct publication of the cult. So I had CD's in my car of recordings of cult services and music produced by the cult. I hardly ever listened to it though, only when my mom was in my car. This has affected me as an adult because I didn't really start listening to music on my own until I was well into college (around 2014).

4. Books- Any books other than the KJV of the Bible that was GIVEN TO YOU, was banned from the cult. When you cut off members from reading books, you cut off a whole plethora of knowledge and views/different perspectives than your own. I ran into a lot of issues with this when I needed textbooks for school and was reading novels and other books in my classes. I wasn't allowed to participate. My mom had a conversation with the school and the cult leader even would write letters for parents to give to the school stating "religious exemptions" for the reasoning the student couldn't read whatever book they class was using. This was hard as a high schooler because it was yet another thing that made me vastly different and stick out like a sore thumb from the crowd. When I began to get depressed about this, the cult leader said that I was backsliding and not strong enough in the lord to withstand the trials and tribulations set in front of me. I was told that it was a good thing that I felt separated. That this was how I was supposed to feel and that feeling this way would make me strong in the lord. This didn't keep me from reading though. I would sneak and read the books that we were reading in class. I would sneak off to my secret gf's house and read the books that she had. I read different book series at her house that she had. One time I came home with the book "Beastly" and my mom found it. She said it looked like it was a perverted book about beastiality and burned it in our outdoor fire pit. Yes, a literal book-burning. smh. As an adult I would sneak books and read in my car where no one could see me or find me. I would read on the job and in the dark where I couldn't be seen. Not being able to read books growing up really shaped my adulthood and how I read books now and how reading books makes me anxious as if I'm going to be caught and then my book be taken away from me.

5. Articles- Articles were seen as a means for worldly ideas to be spread. The only articles that were allowed to be consumed/read were articles that the cult leader or other approved cult leaders would print and share with members. These articles would be about standards, morals, and other ideas that the cult leaders would write about and then spread with the members. It became hard as a high schooler to be able to use articles to complete assignments with. I would normally do these things in secret where my mom and the cult didn't know about it. However, it was very anxiety inducing. As an adult, now I forget that such a means of information even exists. I hear others talk about eating articles and I can't tell you the last time I read an article. Not out of ignorance; but out of forgetting due to conditioning by the cult leader.

6. Newspapers- Newspapers were seen as another means for worldly information to spread. Since the newspapers weren't produced by the cult, the leader was adamant that members not read the newspaper or even have one in their house for their non-membered spouse/relatives. I remember one lady, let's call her J. J was married to a man and had been for 50 some years. He had a newspaper delivered to their house for their whole marriage (she has since passed), and it was done in secret. I remember going over to their house and seeing him reading a newspaper in "his room". "His room" was a room with a twin bed, recliner, table, TV, and all of his "worldly things". J was always sure to have the door to "his room" shut and no one besides him was allowed in there. She didn't even go in there to clean or anything. I always thought this was a weird way to be married to someone. Why would you want to live your life with someone so separated like this. He would spend his hime in there and she would spend her time cooking and cleaning and doing the housework. It never made sense to me. As a high schooler, I was featured in the newspaper a handful of times. I sometimes got to see it, but sometimes I never saw it because we weren't allowed to look at newspapers. As an adult, I have totally forgotten that newspapers even exist. It's so strange to even be writing this because I have genuinely forgotten that many of these forms of spreading information even exist anymore.

7. Magazines- Magazines were definitely not allowed to be looked at when I was in the cult. They were seen as worldly and how "Hollywood claims our children". I remember being in line at the grocery stores with cult members and they would even turn the magazines around so that they faced the wrong way. They did this to keep the people in line behind us from "falling prey to Hollywood". I never turned the magazine covers around for a few reasons: 1. I was looking at the covers out of the corner of my eye lol 2. I thought it was stupid. As an adult, I have gotten magazines before; but, it's not something I have ever really gotten into. I remember a lot of girls I grew up with being into teen magazines;,but, I was never allowed to have anything like that.

8. Media- The media is seen as a very vicious way the devil controls the population. The cult leader would talk about how the people in the media are "the devil's puppets" and that they are a means to usher in the anti-christ. I don't have much to say about the media as an adult. I don't know much about different stations except how they lean. I feel like if I would have grown up watching the media, I would have a different opinion of how to consume media information.

B. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including: critical information. What does this mean exactly? What is critical information? How would someone control critical information you consume? Who would do such a thing? And what would they gain from it? Let's start by defining critical information and giving a few examples. Google defines critical information as: "Critical information deals with specific facts about military intentions, capabilities, operations or activities. Even though information may not be secret, it is called 'critical information.' If an adversary knew this detailed information, our mission and personnel safety could be jeopardized." Now this definition may seem daunting; but, let's break it down together. When they are talking about critical information for the cult, they are not talking in a US military sense. We are talking about small scale, militarized people in my own hometown. When I was in the cult, there was a big push for every single person of age to become concealed carried certified and for them to carry everywhere (including services) "in case of an attack on god's people." Obviously this is outrageous; however, this is not unheard of. You go to work with these people, they live in your neighborhoods, and people have no idea how fucking dangerous they are.

C.Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including: former members. Former members were shunned and cast away from the cult when they left the cult or were deemed "too worldly for association". I have talked about this in previous episodes about how the cult leader split families up because he didn't want members fellowshipping with non-members. There are many reasons why the cult leader wanted to keep members and non-members separate. One of these reasons is to control the spread of information and misinformation to cult members. The cult leader was adamant about what information we, as members, were allowed to consume; and, using shunning non-members as a way to keep us members from thinking critically and getting any information about the outside world. As an adult, I don't have many friends. I have a select few friends that I trust and love; but, I am not a bubbly and friendly person that can just make friends with anyone; and, I feel like part of that is conditioning.

D. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including: keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate. I posted my schedule for a normal week in a previous episode (go give it a look); but, I just want to remind you that being in this cult, just like any cult, is like a full time job. So much time was spent each week either at cult services (home services or ones we traveled for), prayer services, canvasing on the weekends, cleaning the building, spending time with members... it was fucking exhausting. Why would he want to keep us this busy? If we are busy, we can't think about what is actually happening. If he keeps us busy, we don't have time to question is what we are doing is fair, right, and moral. It's disgusting, how he controlled every second of our day and discouraged individual thinking (see episode on encouraging "group think" I previously posted).

E. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including: control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking. I talked about earlier in this episode how technology and the internet was deemed "of the devil" and "worldly" so we weren't allowed to have phones that could connect to the internet and we couldn't be on the internet at work or school. I remember hearing people talking about sneaking on the internet at work; however, I was too scared for that unless I was at school. The cult leader didn't track us in any way- that I know of... As an adult, I forget that I even have a cell phone. My wife told me recently that it take hours for me to even look at my phone after I wake up for the day. Also, with the way cell phones are made now, I wonder if the cult leader has become anymore lenient on cell phones since I'm pretty sure all phones connect to the internet now.

I hope that this episode has shed some light on the amount of control this man, and other men around the country who are using this same religious stance (which is ultimately a cult) to lure in people and control them, take their money, take their resources, and strip them of their identity until they die (I've watched it happen first hand with my mom and so many other people who became members). So much anger, so many tears, and lots of anxiety meds went into the making of this episode. Thats's all I have to say about that.

Until information is allowed to flow freely, may his brain dehydrate and shrivel and turn to crumbs and dust.

-Jezebel Freedom